


6. hide and seek

by JujuRotfuchs



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Angst, Arguments, Canon Compliant, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pining, Teasing, jealousy and general confusion, otayuri - Freeform, post GPF Barcelona, teenage emotions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-10 07:10:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15944318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JujuRotfuchs/pseuds/JujuRotfuchs
Summary: He hears ice flying as Otabek approaches him from behind, skates clicking against the ice. A second later there is a hand pressed briefly against his lower back to gain his attention as if Yuri’s not already glancing over his shoulder through strands of blonde hair.“Catch me if you can.” Otabek murmurs against his ear as he glides past, his fingers brushing Yuri’s hip before they disappear. He speeds up then quickly, knowing that Yuri is just as fast as him.Yuri’s lips stretch into a wide grin as he pushes off to chase after Otabek.Or:Barcelona brought Yuri double gold. The best friend he gained almost more precious than the hard-earned title and medal he won at the GPF.After returning to Russia, Yuri now trains alongside Otabek, and the excitement to have him so close at all times is enough to make his stomach do combination jumps. Yuri knows this is only because he befriended his rival, something that usually goes against his instincts. So why can't his other rink-mates stop gossiping about his and Otabek's relationship?  It's not like Yuri would ever want to be more than just Otabek's friend...





	6. hide and seek

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for 'In This Lifetime'. This can be read as a stand-alone but if you're interested in the entire story of Yuri and Otabek, then check out the collection I posted this in. Multiple great artist worked on this project to make this one big fic, with multiple chapters leading through Yuri's and Beka's life. If you chose to read the entire collection, then my fic would be chapter 6.

  
Yuri grinds his teeth together and tries to keep looking straight ahead, focusing on the yellowish wall-color of the bleak office he’s standing in. Yakov wouldn’t share his office and dressmaker refuses to set foot into the locker-rooms again. Something about sweat and socks. Yuri blames the hockey players.

Not that it matters where he’ll get his measurements taken because knowing his luck, he’d end up having to do it next to Otabek anyway.  
Nine out of ten times, Yuri is thrilled about having his best friend at his side wherever he goes. Today is definitely a rare exception.  
Yuri tries to count the cracks in the wall-paint and doesn’t dare to turn his head.

He doesn’t have to look to know the scene. There are only 3 of them in small room with the stale air. Otabek, him and the dressmaker.  
There is a dusty mirror behind him that appeared out of nowhere, to his feet a several boxes of glittery fabric covered in sequins and more swatches inside the big books the tailoress dropped on a deserted desk.  
The woman herself dances around Otabek and Yuri with measuring tape and mumbles something unintelligible about muscles and rhinestones. She’s currently panning their new costumes for next season.  
Usually, Yuri wouldn’t bother listening to her. Now he wishes she would talk louder to distract him more.

Distracting him from the fact that him and Otabek are only standing there in their boxers, underarms occasionally brushing with how small the room is.

It’s ridiculous. Still, Yuri keeps his eyes on the opposite wall and exhales slowly, attempting to calm himself.

Otabek and Yuri have been training at the same rink for a while now, meaning that they have obviously also shared a locker room more than one time.  
Yuri has seen Otabek in his boxers or just dressed in a towel. Even caught glimpses of his naked hip or the curve of his bare ass but that was more by accident. Yuri tries not to look but sometimes, seeing things is just inevitable.

Growing up between ice rinks and locker rooms, Yuri never had issues with nudity. It wasn’t anything special with how often he was presented with it. And even as he grew older, it didn’t make him look more or less just because he realized that he was into men.

There simply wasn’t anyone around that was interesting enough to stare and drool at. And Nikiforov went running around naked so often, that it quickly became boring.

Right now Yuri really wishes Victor would be standing here with him instead of Otabek. Because Yuri doesn’t care about Victor’s naked body. But for some reason, thinking about Otabek’s makes him dizzy.

It doesn’t make sense.

But the thought of looking at the curve of Otabek’s pecs makes it hard to swallow. The mental image of his solid abs makes his ears turn pink, so Yuri keep’s himself from glancing over to his best friend. He doesn’t want to figure out why he’s feeling affected by Beka’s body now, so he focuses on the mumbling of the dressmaker again.

He can make out just enough to have agape-flashbacks. “No feathers.” He protests. It makes Otabek chuckle. The dressmaker huffs a little aggravated.

“I still have no idea why they called you a fairy, I thought you looked more like an angel.” Otabek teases with a low voice and Yuri recounts the cracks in the wall.

”Shut up.” Yuri mumbles. “Your costume was a disaster.”

Otabek laughs. The tailoress gets involved again. “They called him fairy because he’s such a pretty boy. Ungrateful but beautiful. That golden hair, that fair skin.”

He can’t see it but he’s so very sure that Otabek furrows his eyebrows at that. “Aren’t angels supposed to be beautiful too? And usually portrayed with golden hair, light skin, white feathers…” Yuri can hear him swallow the rest of the sentence as the dressmaker clicks her tongue in disapproval.

“You’re both ungrateful boys.” She grumbles and both, Yuri and Otabek can’t suppress a snort at that.

With laughter tugging at the corners of his lips and hearing Otabek chuckle somewhere beside him, Yuri can’t help but turn to look at him.

He ends up almost choking on his giggles as his eyes automatically wander over every muscle and ridge of Otabek’s upper body. His heart jumps up into his throat and he’s immediately met with a new goal: to absolutely not glance anywhere lower than Otabek’s belly button.

“Are you okay, Yuri?” Otabek asks him, laughter vanishing from his chocolate eyes as it gets replaced by confusion and slight worry.

Words... How does one speak? “I’m fine,’ Yuri manages to croak out. “I just choked a little on my own spit.”

“If the gentlemen would be so nice then to hold still once more, I’d prefer it if I wouldn’t have to stay the night.” The tailoress interrupts, waving her measure tape around once more.

Thankful for the distraction, Yuri almost feels himself starting to relax but then Otabek’s knuckles brush against his wrist and he has to concentrate on not following the movements with his eyes. He recounts the cracks in the wall once more, just to be sure.  
  
  
  
                                                                                        **..........**

 

Yuri starts feeling calmer again as soon as he’s back on the ice after lunch. The dressmaker has long left and both him and Beka were too busy stuffing themselves with chicken and salad to lose any words over their joined measurement and how weird Yuri behaved.  
Or maybe Yuri is just lucky and Otabek didn’t notice anything odd about his behaviour. After all, he’s not very open or talkative with strangers.

Which is why Otabek’s friendship means all the more to him. They just clicked right away and now it feels like they’ve known each other for forever. In the two years they’ve been friends since Barcelona, Yuri has learned more about Otabek than he thought possible but Otabek never bores him. Yuri never gets annoyed with him, never wants him to leave him alone.  
Otabek didn’t have to coax him to come out of his shell or convince him to eventually trust him, like others did. With Otabek, all these things came naturally.

It was both, confusing and delightful. Nowadays, Yuri doesn’t spend too much time pondering why Otabek chose to befriend him in the first place. He knows that somehow, he managed to become a permanent part of Otabek’s life and he doesn’t take it for granted.

On the other side of the rink, Otabek takes off into a jump, Yuri can tell by the noise alone. He turns his head just in time to watch his best friend land cleanly.

Surprisingly, Yuri has no issues sharing the ice with Otabek. It doesn’t distract or aggravate him like it did in the past with Mila and Victor. It actually makes him feel calm and focused in a way no one expected. Yakov had been sure that no work would get done with both Yuri and Otabek on the ice. Yuri had almost purred with satisfaction when they proved him wrong.

Although sometimes…when Yakov’s not looking….

He hears ice flying as Otabek approaches him from behind, skates clicking against the ice. A second later there is a hand pressed briefly against his lower back to gain his attention as if Yuri’s not already glancing over his shoulder through strands of blonde hair.

“Catch me if you can.” Otabek murmurs against his ear as he glides past, his fingers brushing Yuri’s hip before they disappear. He speeds up then quickly, knowing that Yuri is just as fast as him.

Yuri’s lips stretch into a wide grin as he pushes off to chase after Otabek.  
  


**..........**  
  


  
They’re competitive by nature, so when Yakov eventually comes back before they can finish their game, they’re unable to settle on a tie and move on with their day. By the time they’re unlacing their skates, they’re still bickering with each other.

“You weren’t even close to catching me.” Otabek teases, grinning when Yuri rolls his eyes.

“You think so because I already passed you two times before you even realized I was behind you again. You’re getting old and slow, Altin.” Yuri proclaims, slipping into his sneakers.

Otabek huffs. “That’s what a sore loser sounds like. I can outpace you anytime, punk.”

Yuri narrows his eyes. “Yeah?”

Otabek puts his skates inside his bag. “Yeah.”

“Prove it.” Yuri grins, eyes lighting up and then he’s already jumping over the bench they’ve sat on, running.

It takes Otabek a heartbeat to react. Two more to lace his sneakers up before he sets off after him.  
He chases after a mane of blonde hair and teasing calls, all while jumping over more benches that are in the way while he races Yuri around the outer rink-walls.

Yuri is giggling and shrieking whenever Otabek almost catches him, making Otabek laugh as well when they zigzag through the impressive pillars that hold the high ceiling above their heads.  
Yuri hides behind one of them, poking his tongue out when Otabek spots him, only to dance away at the last possible moment. Otabek’s fingers had already brushed the seam of his training jacket.

“Little brat.” Otabek hisses out but his eyes twinkle at the sound of Yuri’s laugh echoing over the ice, which is now taken by Mila and Yuuri.

“Giving up already?” Yuri calls over his shoulder before he disappears behind another pillar, sounding a little breathless but more than amused.

Otabek bites back the answer and changes his tactic and the direction from which Yuri expects him. He sneaks up from the other side just as Yuri peeks around from his hiding spot to see what’s taking Otabek so long.

A leap later, Yuri finds himself trapped between a pillar and Otabek who pants into his ear, even as he laughs. “Caught you, kitten. Your turn.” He’s gone again before Yuri can fully process what just happened.

When he does, he twirls around with a glare but Otabek is already gone. “Are we playing hide and seek now?” He hisses, eyes scanning the rink for a dark undercut.

“Come and find it out.” Otabek’s laugh echos from somewhere and Yuri takes off into the general direction.

It doesn’t matter that his mouth went dry the moment he felt Otabek’s breath against the shell of his ear, he has to catch him as soon as possible to make up for the fact that Otabek even managed to sneak up to him. And besides, Yuri’s probably just thirsty from running, that’s why his throat feels like sandpaper. Nothing else.  
“You’re going down, Altin.” Yuri warns loudly as he jumps over Mila’s gym bag that’s lying in the way.

“I’m actually going up, slowpoke.” Otabek’s voice comes from above and when Yuri tilts his head back, he can see him on the upper level of balconies that overlook the center of the ice. That idiot has the nerve to happily wave at him while Yuri growls. “I’m waiting, kitty.” Otabek taunts and winks.

Yuri ignores the way his cheeks turn red, another side effect of all the running, and sprints towards the stairs.

For a while longer, they chase each other up and down the stairs, through the locker rooms and back around the rink. All while laughing and spluttering on their panting breaths.  
The mood between them switches dizzyingly fast from playful to competitive and a little angry, before someone has to laugh and shriek again, feeling a little delirious from exhaustion and happiness.  
They gained the attention of most of the rink visitors and Yakov more than once yelled at them to finally stop and go home but all that, they barely noticed.

Their chase seems to come to an end when Yuri finally corners Otabek in a deserted locker room. It was a tactical mistake on Otabek’s part, the room doesn’t have a backdoor and Yuri guards the door like a tiger, although he’s panting so hard he wonders if he’s about to cough his lungs up.

“Gotcha.” He chokes out, his grin makes him look a little feral.

Otabek is no better off. His shirt is stuck to his skin with sweat. His eyes scan the room once more for an escape. Yuri braces himself, knowing that Otabek is also not one to give up easily. But Yuri’s not above throwing himself at Otabek to keep him from slipping away again. Otabek seems to realize that.

“You got me.’

They are sluggishly slow on their way back to the rink side and their forgotten training backs, feeling the full exhaustion set in. Why did they do this again?

“You know that we technically still have a tie, right?” Yuri groans. He’s too thirsty to even pretend that he was about to win.

Otabek looks just as miserable as he feels. “I actually think there was never a way to win this. We’re both idiots.’

Considering the fact that they both did this after a few hours on the ice and a gym session earlier this morning, Yuri simply hums and agrees with him.

Together they slump own on the bench where they left their bags, reaching simultaneously for their water bottles. It’s then that Victor comes gliding up to the rink wall, leaving Yuuri behind on the middle of the ice to practice his step sequence by himself. Victor crosses his arms over the border and smiles smugly at them.

“Hello, little lovebirds.” He greets casually but Yuri almost chokes on his mouthful of water. He lowers his bottle to glare at the older man.

“What do you want?”

Victor raises his eyebrows as his eyes glint in a way that Yuri knows well enough to feel suspicious about. “Well I wanted my Yuuri to be able to focus as I explained his new training schedule to him but two certain someone's, were as loud as two courtship-dancing squirrels chasing each other up and down a tree.”

Yuri feels himself blush again, a little out of embarrassment due to the implications, a little in anger caused by Victor’s smile that looks more cruel than innocent.

Otabek is the first to find his voice, sounding a lot steadier than Yuri feels. ”We’re sorry if we interrupted your training, Victor. It won’t happen again.”

Yuri should back Otabek up here but he can’t look at him.

“Oh it should absolutely happen again.” Victor laughs. ‘Although it was a little diverting. It turns everyone’s heads when there’s young love blossoming so unstoppably.”

Yuri is going to kill him. His vision grows red, his shoulders go tense. “What do you want?” He repeats, spitting the words.

Victor shrugs, annoyingly immune to Yuri’s anger. “To give you two a little push. Your games never end the way they should.” He winks again.

Yuri doesn’t know what’s worse: that Victor won’t stop talking or that Otabek hasn’t said anything about what he’s implying. Yuri’s done with this, can’t bear it a second longer.

“Watch out, old man. I’d love to push you too.” He barks and in one swift moves, he grabs his bag and storms towards the doors.

He knows that he shouldn’t unload his irritation onto Otabek but he just can’t help barking again before he pushes through the doors. “Come on, Beka. I won’t be waiting for you.”

  
  
**..........**

 

Sleepovers have been a regular thing in their friendship ever since they couldn’t stop falling asleep on each other’s couches mid movie-marathons after way too much take-out or a long training day.  
At first they happened accidentally, shorty after they became rink mates and Otabek was still getting used to yet another new timezone.

But spending the night at the other's apartment quickly became a habit, mostly out of laziness and the reluctance to part from each other. Forgotten clothes wandered into new drawers instead of being handed back to their owners, which was only practical with how much time they spend together anyway.  
Spare toothbrushes moved into each other’s bathroom cabinets and what had started as a series of sleepy accidents became a regular ritual that wasn’t to be missed.

It got to the point where they simply expected that the other would sooner or later show up on their doorstep. They didn’t need to make plans for it or speak about it any longer, it was just how their weekends went. Excuses were rare and to be addressed in advance because as odd as it was, one had to worry when the other didn’t show up. It would’ve been seen as a sign that something must’ve happened.

So no matter how awkward it had been at the rink earlier when Victor had called them out for their apparent flirting, Yuri knew that he would only make things weirder now if he avoided Otabek and didn’t show up to their sleepover.

Now he is knocking a little reluctantly on Otabek’s apartment door, his bag with his overnight clothes sitting heavy on this back.

Yuri had some time to calm down after he went home to shower but unfortunately, he also had more than enough time to think. He feels a little embarrassed about getting so worked up over Victor’s teasing. What he said was out of line but still, Yuri should be used to it by now. He also shouldn’t have barked at Otabek.

The door opens to reveal a smiling Otabek and Yuri takes a small breath of relief. Otabek doesn’t look tense or cautions, meaning that they can simply brush aside what happened earlier. Yuri feels light enough to happily grin back.

“Hey.” He wiggles past Otabek and inside his apartment, dropping his bag and shoes in their usual corners before he makes himself at home on Otabek’s couch.

“Hey.” Otabek closes the door and joins him, close enough so Yuri’s toes brush his thigh. There is a can of diet coke sitting on the coffee table in front of him, unopened and Yuri grins again because Otabek obviously expected him.

“So,” Otabek leans back into the cushions, “video games or movies?”

“Food.” Yuri decides. “I’m starving.”

“What a surprise.” Otabek rolls his eyes fondly.

“Hey,” Yuri narrows his eyes at him, “I’m still growing. I know that’s something you’re not familiar with but come on, have some sympathy.”

For that, Otabek pinches his calf. “You yet have to grow taller than me but don’t worry, I will still be your friend once you’re freakishly long.”

Yuri pulls a face. “Okay forget it, let’s just oder something to eat.”

“Lilia will kill you.”

“She’ll only nag.”

“You said last month that's worse than dying.”

“And you called me dramatic.”

”You are.” Otabek laughs and Yuri throws a pillow at him. All tension from earlier is completely forgotten.

They spend the evening eating enough Pizza for Lilia to have a heart-attack and argue about the best episodes from a show they’ve watched too many times already.  
Yuri’s feet end up on Otabek’s coffee table and Otabek drapes his own legs across Yuri’s lap. Every so often they forget to pay attention to the TV as they have to show each other something on their phones and Yuri tries to get a good video of him throwing stale popcorn into Otabek’s hair.

They laugh and bicker and nearly fall asleep more than once because the day was long and exhausting but they stay up late into the night anyway, both too stubborn to sleep away their little free time.

At one point Otabek ends up with his head lying in Yuri’s lap, having switched positions and although it’s not the first time Otabek has ever done that, Yuri tenses a little. Victor’s voice echoes through his head and he almost drops his phone on Otabek’s temple. He moves quickly enough to protect Otabek’s head but it does fall into the hood of his sweater.

“You okay?” Otabek asks cautiously, fishing the phone back out for Yuri.

Yuri takes it with slightly trembling fingers, glad that Otabek’s eyes are on the TV. “Yeah, it just slipped through my fingers. Sorry.”

Somehow, the tension is back from there on. Yuri can only blame it on himself although he’s sure that Otabek can feel it too. He doesn’t say anything about it but Yuri thinks he’s being a little more reserved than before. Yuri only notices because he knows Otabek so well. He can tell that something is off.

They silently give up on their episode-marathon a little later and go to bed instead. Neither of them ever sleeps on the couch. Sharing a bed never felt awkward to the athletes, who usually were both dead asleep within moments of lying down. Sure, there have been few cuddle accidents but that’s no big deal. If you can’t share the slightest bit of intimacy with your best friend, you might as well don’t get one. Case closed.

Tonight is the first time Yuri is unable to fall asleep while sharing a bed with Otabek.

It troubles him more than he wants to think about. Getting up to try and sleep somewhere else would feel like admitting that something is seriously wrong, so he doesn’t.  
He has to listen for Otabek’s breathing in the dark since he can’t really see, needing to know if his friend at least gets some rest. Yuri can’t tell for sure but he somehow doubts it.

 

**..........**

  
  
Something is nagging in the back of Yuri’s mind, wanting him to think over what’s happening between him and Otabek but he stubbornly refuses to address such thoughts.

He feels like it’s only normal in every friendship to not always go along perfectly well and just because Otabek and him have such a effortless way of understanding the other, doesn’t mean that they’re an exception to that.

As long as they don’t start to constantly argue, Yuri doesn’t see a reason to worry over a few shaky moments. Neither does he feel the need to address them with Otabek in any way. Not when they can go back to laughing and being silly with each other as if nothing happened.

“I hate going shopping with you.” Otabek moans, ripping Yuri from his thoughts.

“Since when?”

“Since I realized that you turn into a maniac as soon as you see a mall.”

They’re having a best friend day to themselves, spending it shopping and lazily slurping iced coffee as they wander around the city.  
It’s fun, even if Otabek pretends to be a spoilsport. They bicker and laugh and try to hide from any fans spotting them. This day is the perfect proof that nothing has changed between them at all and Yuri feels absolutely relieved at that.

Shopping bags in hand, they eventually get lured into a small café by their grumbling stomachs.

“Give me your bags, I’ll go and get us a table.” Otabek says once they’re inside, scanning the room for empty seats.

“You want me to order for you?” Yuri calls after him as Otabek heads for a table in the far corner of the room. His answer his a thumbs up.

At the counter, Yuri is glad that he knows Otabek well enough to guess what he’d like to eat. He wants to order and pay as quickly as possible because the barista serving him is making him borderline uncomfortable with how much he flirts with Yuri.

He draws out their conversations over sandwiches longer than it needs to be and asks Yuri multiple times if he can get him some syrup shots for his coffee for free, winking every time.  
It’s no use that Yuri tells him that he’s on a diet. All his glaring and getting audibly annoyed doesn’t seem to affect the bubbly barista either, who seems hellbent on wooing Yuri.  
Yuri outright hisses at him that he’s only interested in their food and even that makes the idiot smile.

“Here’s your coffee, I’ll bring you your food to the table in a second.”

Yuri doesn’t bother thanking him, if anything he should complain to his manager about being pestered and storms off to where Otabek sits.

“Everything okay?” Otabek asks with raised eyebrows as soon as Yuri falls into the opposite seat.

“Weird encounter with the barista, don’t ask.” Yuri growls, still annoyed.

Otabek looks like he really wants to ask but opts for drinking his coffee in silence instead.

“And here comes your food, my dear.” The barista basically sings as soon as he appears by their table, grinning concerningly wide.

Yuri starts thinking that this person is the living manifestation of a headache and Otabek looks at him like he’s seen a leprechaun on cocaine.  
The barista himself now notices Otabek and Yuri wants to sigh in relief, sure that he’s about to ogle Otabek now instead of him. But he actually looks like he’s bitten into something sour and turns to Yuri.

“Who’s this?” He asks Yuri, meaning Otabek, as if he has any right to do so.

Yuri’s mouth falls open, his first instinct to tell the barista to get lost but then he sees his way out. “My boyfriend.”

Across the table, Otabek’s face hardens and Yuri tries not to wince, or think about why Otabek suddenly looks so pissed. He just wants that damn barista to finally leave him alone.

“Oh, what a shame.” Barista-boy says dryly, happy mood gone. “Well, enjoy your coffee.” He says only to Yuri, who now notices that there’s a number scribbled on his cup. Fantastic.

It’s uncomfortably silent once him and Otabek are alone again, neither of them really touching their food. Yuri’s in a bad mood and he knows Otabek is brooding over something too. Their day seems ruined, the tension between them is back again.

Yuri can’t stand it. “Spit it out, Beka. Whatever it is.”

“I don’t like being your excuse.”

The words hit Yuri but instead of apologizing, he defends himself. “You’ve seen that guy, didn’t you? He didn’t back off.”

Otabek pulls a face, doesn’t answer. Yuri hates it when Otabek get’s silent.

“Are you that repulsed by me that you’re honestly mad over something like that?” Yuri knows he’s heading into dangerous territory now. “Shit, you’re supposed to have my back, Beka.”

Otabek huffs. “Whatever, forget it.”  
  
  


**..........**  
  
  


It’s not like Yuri doesn’t feel mad or confused over what’s happened at the Café but over the next weeks both Otabek and him get so busy with training, that things between them automatically calm down again.  
Neither mentions their little argument, having either forgotten about it or chosen to fill what little free time they share with laughter instead.

Yuri catches himself hoping that things are back to normal but thinking that always makes something churn inside his stomach, preventing him from fully believing so.

On the one day they both don’t have training, it ends up pouring so badly outside that they decide to stay in and have a cozy afternoon.

“Movies or video games?” Yuri asks, not sounding too happy about either option.

“Maybe we should play a board game for once.” Otabek suggest, bringing in two mugs of tea.

Yuri looks unconvinced. “Do you even have one?”

“A few, actually.”

Yuri was scared that the silence during the board game would invite the tension back in but instead, they fill it with playful bickering.

The game was one Yuri had never played before and since he was too impatient to read the instructions, Otabek tried to explain the rules to him as they went along.  
But it was no use, Yuri was so happy and giggly, be it from is free day or the fact that he and Otabek were back to normal, that he couldn’t focus properly.  
So he tried to cheat a few times, making Otabek laugh as he was promptly caught. It was a good sign if Otabek was going along with his silliness instead of getting frustrated or annoyed.  
They started making up their own rules and gave the small figures ridiculous names before thinking of stories for them.

“The Walrus over here likes to snort loose tea and getting frisky with the horseshoe token.” Yuri says, holding his playing piece up under Otabek’s nose.

Otabek pulls a face like he was suffering but visibly suppressed a rumbling laugh. “What has Mrs. Walrus to say about that?”

Yuri was delighted that Otabek played along. “She knows she married a weirdo but she could forgive him if he gave her a little more attention for once. Or some pearls.”

“Is that all it needs? More attention?” Otabek looked serious now and Yuri’s mouth fell open a little.

“Well…they love each other, they just have issues.” He whispered.

“Why don’t they fix it?” Otabek murmured.

“They have communication problems…and I think they’re scared.”

“Scared of what?”

“Of rejection. Of losing their friendship and-”

“I thought they were married?”

Yuri’s heart leaps.”„Yeah, right. Marriage, not friendship.”

“But all lovers should be friends too, right?” The look in Otabek’s chocolate eyes was intense.

Yuri lets out a choked sound. “I don’t know.”

Otabek leans back, looking a little disappointed. “Or maybe he should just go with the pearls to win her back.”

The mood had undoubtedly shifted but in which direction, Yuri couldn’t tell. It was somewhat heavy, like something was about to happen but the usual thickness of tension was missing.

A while later they’d made themselves new tea and swapped the board game for some cards. They were able to pick their bickering back up from where it had made place for the confusion earlier and soon enough, Yuri was hiding a large grin behind his cards, cheating some more.  
  
  


**............**  
  
  


Later that night, Yuri was alone in his apartment, unable to fall asleep. Thoughts of Otabek and their shared day filled his head. He didn’t even need to close his eyes to see him clearly, smiling at one of Yuri’s lame jokes or exposing the skin of his stomach as he stretched.

Yuri’s heart was racing, feeling apparently just as restless as his mind. Reluctantly, Yuri admitted to himself that this wasn’t the first time he’d been thinking about Otabek like that. Or missed him even though they’d just parted mere hours ago.

Thoughts like that were troubling and scary and he liked to push them away, convinced that Otabek wasn’t sharing Yuri’s confusion or feelings.

But today there had been a moment, one that repeated itself in Yuri’s head and stealing his sleep. Otabek’s smoldering eyes and his low voice, trapping Yuri on the spot. They had joked, been silly but then why did the moment suddenly feel so intimate? Like they weren’t really talking about a plastic walrus but something bigger?

Could it be, that maybe their rink mates weren’t so wrong and cruel? Could it be, that maybe there was more between them than just friendship? Or was Yuri making things up because recently, Otabek had been all that was on his mind?

Yuri wanted to push those thoughts away again but this time, he wasn’t sure how well he would succeed in that.

  
**..........**

  
A few weeks later, Yuri had still not figured out what to do about his feelings regarding Otabek but was luckily completely distracted by a small competition both of them would attend.  
On the ice, there still wasn’t much that could make him lose focus of his routine and for that Yuri was grateful. He had feared that Otabek would mess with his head badly enough to make him a sloppy skater, so he was flooded with relief to notice that this wasn’t the case.

Everything could’ve gone so well, if it wasn’t for people shoving phone-cameras and microphones under their noses every chance they got.  
Yuri tried to ignore it but Otabek and him training together had only stroked the flame that had started with the story of the hero kidnapping the fairy.  
People were obsessed with their relationship, making up theories and posting them online, tagging them so they had to see.

It made Yuri feel corned, irritated Otabek more than he wanted to let on.

They were constantly asked about the nature of their relationship. Photographed wherever they went. Both of them had been advised to completely ignore any topics that weren’t related to their skating but Yuri had a hard time keeping his cool. Even Otabek seemed more prickly than usual.

If a small competition cast such a spotlight on their relationship, then how bad would it be once the GPF neared?

Yuri is in the middle of signing some cards in the hotel lobby, trying not to glower at every picture that gets taken of him, when he suddenly hears a ground shaking shout.

“Son of a… he’s not my damn boyfriend! Hell, can’t two male skaters be friends without wanting to get inside each others pants?’

Yuri’s heart drops, so does his mouth. He’s never seen Otabek this angry, never thought he’d lash out in front of so many reporters like that. He looks so livid, it’s scary and Yuri feels suddenly close to crying.

Otabek storms off, leaving a silent and gaping crowd behind. No one moves. Yuri pulls the hood over his head and tries is hardest to act like nothing happened.  
  


**..........**  
  


They don’t recover from Otabek’s outburst. They also don’t really talk anymore. Otabek became withdrawn after that scene in the lobby, Yuri insecure about the nature of their feelings towards each other.

He turns his notifications off, doesn’t read the tabloids. He wonders if Otabek does the same.

For a few days he’s happy about the silence between them as it gives him time to think. Then after a few more, he starts hating it for the same reason.

Otabek doesn’t call or text, doesn’t show up at his door. Yuri hates admitting it but he’s too scared to contact Otabek first. The way Otabek yelled at that reporter… his words were full of disgust and anger, as if he couldn’t bear the mere thought of being with Yuri. Thinking about it breaks Yuri’s heart a little.

Maybe he did imagine things, maybe there really is nothing more between them than friendship. Maybe Yuri should start to worry that all these implications about their relationship are starting to annoy Otabek too much and to the point where he just wants to get rid of them, along with Yuri. Maybe this will destroy what they have, even though Yuri never told Otabek how he feels.

It would be horribly unfair. If he was going to lose Otabek to their non-existing romance, he should at least know that Yuri would’ve wanted them to me more.

Or actually, Yuri should just shove his feelings down and try to save what wasn’t lost yet.

So Yuri dials his number, tries to call him. No answer. He gets jittery, tries again. Hours later, when he still can’t reach him, he starts looking for Otabek. At his apartment, then the rink and finally the gym. He’s nowhere to be found. Yuri begins to worry but he doesn’t think about contacting any of their rink mates, if Yuri doesn’t know where he is, they won’t either.

It’s already evening and Yuri’s back home, when one of his calls finally connect. Yuri video-called him but Otabek only answers on audio.

“Beka?” Yuri asks his dark phone-screen, seeing only is own face.

“Yeah? Everything okay? I have a lot of missed calls from you.”

Yuri tries not to get mad. “I was looking for you everywhere. Where are you?”

“I um…”

“Can you turn the video on? I was worried. I wanted to talk to you.”

“O-okay.” Yuri furrows his eyebrows at Otabek’s hesitation.

His phone screen lights up with Otabek’s wary face, so Yuri at first doesn’t notice the suit he’s wearing. Eventually though, he does.

“Where are you?” His voice sounds small.

Otabek takes a deep breath. “Almaty.”

“You left the country without telling me?” Yuri feels breathless. “„Was there some kind of emergency?” There had to be, Otabek wouldn’t just go.

“No.” He looks uncomfortable.

Now Yuri does get a little mad. “Why then? And why are you wearing a suit?”

“I’ve been to my cousins wedding. Just came back home, my phone was off.”

“Wedding?” Yuri echos, feeling cold. He can remember Otabek’s excitingly promising to take him with him next time he flew to Almaty. To show him where he grew up, so he could meet his family. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Otabek shrugs. “We didn’t talk much recently.”

And that’s what truly ignites anger inside Yuri’s chest. Because Otabek must’ve had the plane tickets for a long time, had known about the wedding even longer. And he was also aware that things weren’t okay between them, yet he’d gone.

‘Is that why you didn’t take me?”

“Not really. It just would’ve been weird.”

“Weird?” Yuri shrieks. “How so?” He can’t believe that Otabek out of all people would say something like that. It hurts a lot.

“Because I was going there with someone else already.” Otabek looks at Yuri defiantly, waiting for Yuri to explode.

And Yuri does. His heart breaks and splinters right out his chest. He feels jealous and betrayed, so he lashes out. “You could’ve told me, it’s not like I care about who you’re dating anyway. I actually don’t give a shit. I just thought you were dead in a ditch somewhere but you’re fine.” He’s gotten embarrassingly loud but he can’t stop himself.

“Yuri…”

“No, you’re a horrible friend and a damn liar.” Yuri interrupts, feeling his face get hot and tears blurring his vision. “Good thing I couldn’t apologize tonight, not that I did anything wrong, since you have no trouble simply abandoning me. Good to know where we stand.”

Otabek looks angry too. “Would you listen-”

“Save it, I know you’ve been fed up with me anyway. You should’ve been man enough to tell me but instead, you ran away. You’re a coward, Beka. You’re full of shit. I can’t believe I mean so little to you when you mean everything to me.”

“I would never…Yuri, listen-”

“I said save it.” Yuri hisses with all his venom, tears clouding his vision.“Go fuck yourself.’ He shouts, then hangs up. Looking at Otabek for just one second longer will kill him, he knows it.

Starting to sob out loud and hating himself for it, he turns his ringing phone off and throws it in the next corner. He sinks to the floor and cries until he almost chokes on it, wishing he never realized how badly he was in love with Otabek.  
  
  
  
**.........**  
  


Yuri considers pretending to have caught the flu so he doesn’t have to see anyone. He knows he looks like he feels, which is shit. But one sleepless night in tears makes him realize that he’s gonna go crazy if he hides in his apartment. So he still heads to the rink, hoping for distraction and keeping his head down, hissing at anyone who dares to ask him what’s wrong.

He wouldn’t be surprised if they all knew about Otabek’s flight to Almaty and put one and one together. Yuri doesn’t dare ask, he couldn’t stand their pity.

Yuri works himself raw, wanting his feet to hurt more than his heart but he’s not subtle enough about it. Yakov confiscates his rink-keys and doesn’t let him train beyond his usual schedule.

Yuri hasn’t turned his phone back on since he hung up on Otabek but it’s hard to ignore the frantic ringing of his doorbell in the middle of the night, a few days later.  
He’s not been to bed yet, still unable to sleep properly but he stumbles to the door in sleeping shorts and a old hoodie.

Otabek stands in front of him, soaking wet from the rain and with all his luggage at his feet.  
“I came here as fast as I could.” He looks like a wet puppy that could never hurt anyone but Yuri’s heart burns painfully from simply looking at him.

“Good for you.” Yuri wants to sound cold and close the door but his voice sounds thin and he can’t move.

“I need to tell you some things Yuri, please let me in?”

Yuri doesn’t know what to say. Feeling too many things at once. So he simply walks back inside and leaves the door open for Otabek. In the middle of his living room, he crosses his arms and waits for Otabek to talk.

“On the plane ride home I thought about all the things I wanted to tell you. I had like five different speeches, many apologies and some weak explanations but now my head feels pretty empty.”

“So nothing new then.” Yuri bites, needing to not feel as vulnerable.

“I think there is no right way to do this now. This is already such a mess. So maybe only the truth will help us now.” Otabek looks nervous.

Yuri raises one eyebrow, doesn’t say anything.

“I’m crazy about you, Yura. You make me crazy.”

Yuri’s mouth falls open. “Literally or…” He whispers.

“Yes, that too but also in all the right ways. I was an idiot for not taking you with me to Almaty. I missed you the entire time.”

“You are an idiot.” Yuri agrees, head full of clouds.

“And?”

“I’m mad at you. And confused as hell.”

“But what do you feel?” Otabek looks scared.

“I feel like kicking you. Hell, give me a moment.”

“„If you don’t feel the same as I do then… look, it’s okay. I just thought that things had been changing between us and-”

“What about your date to the wedding? What about that reporter you yelled at?” Yuri asks demandingly, stepping closer to Otabek’s dripping form.

“I was there with a friend. I’m an ass, I know, but I wanted to make you as jealous as you made me when that damn Barista was flirting with you. And about that reporter… it just sucks when people rub a relationship into your face you wish you had, you know?” He looks up apologetically to Yuri.

“Yeah, I know that feeling quite well.” He whispers.

“Does that mean… that we could be more than friends?”

Yuri nods. “Don’t get me wrong, Beka. I hate your guts but I like you so much that I barely know how to handle it.”

Otabek laughs. “You and me both, we need to figure out how to handle it but Yuri? I like you so much too, you do mean everything to me.”

Yuri blushes, thinking about his slip up during their fight. “So that’s all it takes? We talk, we apologize and everything’s okay again?” It seems too good to be true.

“There is one more thing.’ Otabek murmurs, slowly pulling Yuri into his arms even though his leather jacket is dripping with rainy water. “Can I have a kiss?”

“That depends.” Yuri breathes, looking softly at wet lashes and chocolate eyes.

“What is it, Yuri? I’d do everything for a kiss from you.” He says so quietly and seriously.

“Be my boyfriend.” Yuri asks. “And don’t go all mushy on me, Altin.”

“No chance, boyfriend. Learn to deal with it.”

Their first kiss starts with them grinning and ends somewhere in the early morning hours, once they fall asleep curled around each other.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this. If you did, leaving a comment & some feedback behind would be real nice <3
> 
> (For any of my readers who wait for the TBYAIL update: I'm working on it, I promise! I just started a new job and things are super crazy at the moment but I'll post it eventually. Thanks for waiting<3)


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